Rennes

It is important to know in the city:

All sights in the city "Rennes"

Rennes is the capital of the Brittany region in north-western France. There are 240 000 inhabitants, a third of which are students. Rennes is a blend of a center of higher education and a rich tradition of legend and history.

History

The city has been modernized and as a result a new shopping mall appeared in the center called La Visitation which is very popular among the students. Rennes has many places to see and many things to do. There are lots of restaurants and shopping facilities. It is the second most gastronomic region in France and it boasts an exquisite cuisine. Local industries include car manufacturing and telecommunications.

Attractions

The most outstanding attractions include Park Thabor, the former Benedictines garden and park of natural beauty with amazing collection of plants including hundreds of species of roses and tropical, African and European trees. Not far from the Thabor Park is the Notre-Dame-en-Sainte-Mélaine church which was the church of the Benedictine abbey. The only original parts that remain are the transept and the tower. The Palais des Musée located in the Rennes was built in 1911. It has an excellent collection of paintings by major artists including Picasso, Verones, Rubens and Chardin. But the museum’s most famous picture is “The Newborn” by Georges de la Tour.

Market

Every Saturday morning you can find a huge market held in the center of the city where you can buy fresh fruits, vegetables and fish. There are over 300 local producers selling different types of products.

The students’ day

Thursdays in Rennes are traditionally ‘students’ day’. Many concert halls and public places offer free activities which include sports, visual arts, street entertainment and music festivals. Les Tombées de la Nuit is an art festival which takes place in the first week of July and includes the spirit of the young with eating and drinking on the terraces of the restaurants and cafes.

Rennes is one of the smallest cities in the world to have a metro. There is only one line which runs north-west to south-east via the city’s SNCF railway station, with 15 stations.